I studied composition with Geoffrey Poole and his own music has had a profound affect on me and on the music I write. Essentially, he rewrites the rules of composition for every piece, and this is what I try to do. Thus words like ‘style’ become less relevant. I am, slowly, putting together a study of Geoff’s music. It seems that it has fallen to me to write ‘the book’ on it.

I lived in Taiwan for nine years, one intention being to work, one being to surround myself with Chinese music, especially Chinese opera, as many folk versions as I could find, but with a focus on Beijing opera. (Chinese culture is alive and well in Taiwan). This stemmed from an interest in folk musics from around the world. The goal is, eventually, to write a Beijing opera. It is about climate change and the end of the world – what more operatic subject can there be? I am also interested in how music expresses pure time.

Sample works